Fullerene is an allotrope of carbon and graphite. The most common fullerene is hollow fullerene such as C60, C70, and metal fullerene containing other elements. Nowadays, the preparation of the fullerenes remains in the stage of gram level in the laboratory. With the widely application and promotion of fullerene and metal fullerene, laboratory research equipment becomes unable to meet the requirements of the booming needs for fullerene and metal fullerene.
Arc process is the common method to obtain fullerene. The fullerene is obtained through the discharging of the anode and cathode, evaporating of the graphite electrode and a cooling process. The anode and cathode are opposite located in the furnace. The anode and cathode inside the furnace are linearly arranged and are dispersed with each other. Thus, a single arc source formed by an anode and a cathode is installed in a single furnace, resulting a low production efficiency and failing to meet the requirement of industrial production.
Chinese patent Application No. CN201010591761.0 discloses a rotating arc furnace for preparation of fullerene nano material. The anode and cathode of the rotating arc furnace are opposite located, and the cathode rod and the anode rod connected with the anode and the cathode extend along two reverse directions and pass through the right side and left side of the furnace respectively. Chinese patent Application No. CN200510124525.7 discloses an arc furnace has an anode rotary plate which has 1 to 6 anode rod installed on. The arrangement of the anode and the cathode is of the same as the aforementioned patent, thus, lowers the production capacity and efficiency.